Disclaimers: These characters aren't mine. Really? No shit because if they were they would already be together!

A/N: Italics are for internal dialogue as well as flashback. It's pretty obvious which is which. This takes place when the camera stops shooting after season 2, ep 6 "Rebel Without A Pause."

Reviews: Yes, please.

Jane couldn't keep the big shit-eating grin off her face if she'd wanted to. Watching Maura talk with her mom and really get to know her; the happiness in those shining hazel eyes, how could she not smile as she watched her? The surprise Maura showed when her mother took a bite of her hamburger, grease dripping onto her shirt and her mother just laughed it off. Sure the older Isles followed up with some comment about having a wonderful dry cleaner who would be able to get the stain out easily and how even if for some reason they couldn't the shirt had only cost five hundred dollars, at which Jane and Angela had rolled their eyes at each other, but it was obvious Maura had never seen her mother like this and Jane was so happy at being able to make this happen for her.

Jane wasn't nervous as she entered the ritzy hotel and approached the front desk. She was determined. She couldn't stand to see Maura hurting so badly and she was going to do everything in her power to fix it.

"I need the room number for Constance Isles." Jane demanded, her voice intimidating, eyes piercing.

The clerk smiled nervously at the cocky woman in front of him, he was young but even he could sense the danger rolling off her in waves. "I'm sorry, ma'am," he started, trying to not stumble over his words, "we don't give out our patrons room numbers unless they left us a request to do so and Mrs Isles has left no such request."

"Really? Well, how's this for a request?" Jane smirked, showing him her badge. She watched as his eyes grew wider with fear when he saw her gun as she replaced her badge on her belt.

"Oh! I-Is there a-a problem?"

"There will be if you don't give me the room number." Her eyes drilled into his own, daring him to utter anything else other than the room number with this next breath.

"She's in the penthouse, room 1804, top floor, first door to your right."

"Thanks kid." She replied her back already to him as she walked to the elevators. She loved being a cop for a lot of reasons and she wasn't above admitting one of those reasons was it got her what she wanted when she wanted it.

Riding up in the elevator she didn't give much thought as to what she'd say, she already knew what she wanted to say to the woman. They were going to finish the conversation they'd started at the gallery before that asshat of a man interrupted them. She'd wanted to tell him to fuck off but had refrained for Maura's sake. It was bad enough Constance hadn't put her on the list of guests; Jane certainly wasn't going to make a scene and hurt her further.

Arriving on the top floor she walked with purpose to room 1804, the penthouse. "Should a known that," Jane mumbled to herself while knocking.

"Javier, you're a bit early for my bags…" Constance's words died on her tongue as she saw who was standing at the door.

"Jane."

"That's me," Jane responded, stepping around the now silent woman and into the room. It was huge and the view was breath-taking. A huge bay window wound around the entire half of the room giving a panoramic view of the Boston skyline. "I can see why you'd rather stay here than the guest house."

"That's not fair," Constance began, closing the door and turning to face Jane who was standing in the middle of the room.

"No? What is fair Mrs Isles? Coming across the country not for the purpose of seeing your daughter but for your 'installation opening,' Jane emphasized her point by air quoting with her fingers the last two words.

"Maura understands," Constance began but was again cut off by Jane's anger.

"Do you not remember our discussion in the gallery? Maura doesn't understand. Oh sure, on an intellectual level she does, there's nothing she doesn't understand that way, but emotionally? She doesn't understand. She loves you and while you were here she was so excited at the idea of spending time with you and then every time she tried you threw it back in her face. Always too busy with your private dinner meetings or giving speeches, I mean who the hell cancels dinner on their daughter when they haven't seen her in years? Years!" Jane exclaimed, her voice rising further. "Tonight I am taking Maura and my ma to the Dirty Robber. We're going to have dinner, kick back with some drinks and relax. I want you to turn up no later than 9pm. So I suggest you call up your pilot for your private jet and reschedule your departure time till tomorrow. It wouldn't hurt if you went back with Maura to her place and actually stayed in the guest house she spent days preparing for you as well." And while we're at it you might want to try a bit of greasy food like cannoli one day, it won't kill you!"

More than a minute passed in silence as Constance Isles studied Jane Rizzoli and the later woman started to feel like a bug under a microscope. Despite her best efforts she started rubbing the scars on her hands like she always did when she became agitated.

"Very well," Constance finally said, "I will come to this Dirty Robber… I assume this is a bar?"

"Yeah, that's right," Jane answered, a warning in her voice that the elder woman better have nothing disparaging to say about that.

"I'll be there at 8:30." More silence as the two women looked at each other. "You know Jane, despite what you may think of me I do love Maura, very much and I am so very proud of her. She's made a wonderful life for herself and is one of the best Doctors in her field. I keep tabs on her career very closely and I know all the consultation work she does for the FBI as well as working with other ME's around Massachusetts and the rest of the country. I know she donates to and is heavily involved in countless charities; my daughter has lived up to and surpassed any expectations I ever had for her. I couldn't be more proud."

"I'm not the one you should be telling," Jane responded, voice softer.

Constance sighed heavily. "I know, I've just never been very good at being a…"

"Mother," Jane finished for her, "I know, you told me. You can start by telling her what you just told me. Try visiting just to see her and not dropping on her just because you're in the area on business. Remember to put her on your lists, stop cancelling dinner with her, stay with her at her own house and for god sake, rather than keeping tabs on her career, try calling her and just asking her how she's doing."

"Do you have kids, Detective?"

Jane couldn't help the bark of laughter that came out. "Me! No way. Pretty sure I'm not the maternal type."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

"Yeah, well, doesn't matter. My line of work isn't exactly conductive to raising a family. I can't even meet anyone who I like that can deal with it."

"Really?" Constance asked, her eyebrow rising in a knowing way. "Maybe you've met that person and just don't know it yet."

Jane looked at her as if she'd grown another head… "I don't think so." Jane walked to stand in front of the older woman. "I'm going to go now, but if I don't see you there tonight I'll be back, even if I have to track you half way across the damn world."

With that she moved to the door and started to walk out.

"Detective?" Constance called.

Jane turned around to look at her. "Yeah?"

"You care about my daughter a great deal don't you?"

"Of course I do, she's my best friend."

"I wish I had a best friend like you," The older woman let that settle in the detective's head before continuing; "I'll see you tonight."

Jane nodded and continued out.

"I think I'm gonna get going, Janie," her mom said, bringing her back to the present. "It's getting late and I've been up since 5."

"Sure ma." Jane stood up to walk her mother out and make sure she got into a cab safely.

"That's a sweet thing you did Janie," Angela said as she hugged her daughter.

Jane smiled and opened the door of the cab for her mom. "It's the least Maura deserves."

"Look at them, laughing and talking. Who would a thought when she arrived all prim and proper she'd be slumming it with us at the Dirty Robber! I'm proud of you Janie."

Jane tried not to blush, embarrassed at the compliment. "You can take my bed for the night Ma. I'll take the couch."

Angela smiled at her as the cab drove away. Looking back at the Dirty Robber Jane watched the two Isles' women through the glass. She loved seeing Maura so happy and carefree. Maura turned to look out the window at her and Jane's smile grew. Maura was beyond beautiful and for once Jane was in far too good of a mood to let the thought she had about her best friend surprise her. Besides, those types of thoughts were certainly nothing new. Normally she would let them frighten her or depress her, but not tonight. Tonight she would just accept them, it's not like she had to act on them.

Constance caught Maura smiling out the window at Jane. "She cares for you a great deal."

"I know. I care a great deal for her as well." Maura replied, turning to look at her mother again.

"I can see that." Constance smiled. "I think she's a good influence on you."

"You do?" Maura couldn't hide the surprise in her voice.

Constance only smiled again. "It is getting late and I'm getting tired. I think it's about time I head off as well."

"Oh." Maura couldn't help but go from feeling elated at the direction the night had taken to the sadness she now felt. Of course she knew the night couldn't last forever, that would take being able to alter the time continuum, but she felt as if she wanted more time with her mother. Tonight she had learned a side of her mother existed she never knew was there. A side that knew how to have fun!

"I've checked out of my hotel however; I was hoping to take you up on your offer of the guest house. I'm not flying out until tomorrow afternoon now."

Jane witnessed the transformation of the sad look on Maura's face to the now beautiful smiling supernova that now rested on her lips as she walked back into the bar.

"Oh, wait, Angela is staying there. Since you didn't want it before I saw no reason she couldn't stay there."

"Ma's staying with me at my place tonight," Jane interjected, catching the tail end of the conversation. "So there's no reason your mom can't go back to your place with you," Jane finished, popping a peanut in her mouth and smiling.

Before she could pick her beer up off the table to wash it down she had a very happy Maura in her arms, hugging her. "Thank you, Jane, for everything." Maura whispered in her ear, causing her knees to lose some of their stability.

"Hey, that's what friends are for. What you can't ask for, I will." Jane replied, quickly covering the desire Maura's warm breath had caused in her with a large smile.

Constance slid out of the booth and the three women walked outside. Jane quickly hailed a cab for them and opened the door. The elder Isles got inside while Maura grabbed Jane's hand and caught her gaze.

"Thank you again, Jane. This means so much to me, you can't know how much," Maura said, tears starting to fill her eyes.

"Hey, no tears, this is a happy time," Jane teased her as she squeezed her fingers. Suddenly Maura was kissing her. It was only a quick kiss on the cheek, the kind of kiss a friend would give to another friend, but it made Jane's heart stop momentarily. Gentle fingers moved one of her dark locks behind her ear as Maura squeezed her hand softly before letting go and sliding into the cab next to her mother.

If I ever doubted it before I can't anymore. That woman has my heart.

A/N: Originally I thought of this just being a one-shot but I'm thinking I will continue it. Unless you all think it sucks of course ;)